What is Executive Coaching?

The distinction is clearer when we compare this to life coaching that helps an individual. For example; to achieve a personal goal such as happiness, work-life balance, financial security, financial freedom, or better relationships.

There are various exceptions, such as when it is sometimes difficult to separate one’s business and personal life. Nevertheless, executive or leadership coaching is designed to help people meet organisational needs.

Executive Coaching is a collaborative relationship between a leader and a coach. For instance, as a leader you could well be an executive, manager, supervisor, team leader or entrepreneur; anyone who is in charge or responsible for a group of people.

Executive Coaches work with individuals, as well as with teams in executive or management positions. Most of all, it’s about a partnership whereboth work to reach an identified and agreed outcome. The aim of the partnership is to bring about sustained behavioural change and transform the quality of the leader’s working and personal life.

It is useful to understand what Executive Coaching is NOT about:

Technical guidance, although some coaches have a strong technical background.

Career counselling, although many coaches do assist in helping leaders find the right fit and match for their talents and strengths.

Consulting, where the consultant is really seen as the expert who comes in to solve a problem and give advice. Coaches on the other hand, listen and ask a series of useful questions to help you find your own solution.

Mentoring, where the mentor has experienced a similar journey before. Mentors are often informal supports, either within or outside the organisation. They have done the journey and typically have the wisdom of experience on their side. However, they can often be compromised with the needs of the company on the one hand and the needs of the ‘mentee’ on the other. Furthermore, as a mentee, you may be reluctant to bring up issues that might be considered ‘career limiting.’ Coaches, however, are generally hired from outside the team or organisation and have a broad range of experience. They are also skilled at managing discussions that might be deemed sensitive or ‘off limits.’

Training usually doesn’t involve reflection and introspection and it’s usually tailored to the group, rather than to each individual.

Flow on Effect

Coaching works well in both one-to-one sessions, as well as being a group solution for leaders or executives. This results in more effective and healthier organisations. Consequently, when you improve your performance as a leader, the benefits spread throughout the organisation, as well as benefiting your personal life. Therefore, exposing senior leaders to the coaching experience has a flow-on effect of instilling a coaching culture throughout the organisation.

When you respond well to coaching, you will apply and role-model your new-found skills and techniques to other people. As a result, improved interaction cascades throughout the organisation.

Individually Tailored

Coaching has become a viable option for businesses and organisations looking to operate at peak performance. Where training and workshops are usually general in nature when everyone learns the same set of material, coaching is individualised and specifically tailored to the person.

In most executive coaching situations, the real objective is to help successful people become even more effective. Effective coaches go to great lengths to emphasise your unique talents and abilities, as well as unleash your potential. It’s about challenging you in such a way that will help you change certain behaviour. It’s about encouraging you to be open to change, to step-up, and to be more responsible “corporate citizens”. Unsurprisingly, Executive Coachingimproves the bottom line.

At an individual level, the executive often uses their Coach as a “confidential thinking partner.”

For instance, some examples of areas you seek coaching for may include: